Newark – An armed suspect who fought with sheriff’s officers early Friday morning was arraigned today on weapons and drug charges.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that Deputies Alex Kaplan and Kyle Pesce were on routine patrol on Clinton Avenue at 3:00 a.m. on Friday when they observed a 2001 Chrysler Sebring being operated in an erratic manner at excessive speed.

As the suspect vehicle turned onto Quitman Street without signaling, the sheriff’s officers activated overhead lights in an attempt to conduct a motor vehicle stop.The suspect vehicle then accelerated even faster and came to a sudden stop in front of 160 Quitman Street.

The driver, later identified as Amir Mason, age 30, of Newark, threw a clear plastic bag to the ground and fled the scene on foot.

After a brief chase, Deputy Kaplan cornered Mason in an alley and struggled with Mason as he tried to scale an 8-foot high brick wall.When Kaplan pulled Mason to the ground the officer observed a 9mm, Atak Model 917T semi-automatic handgun in the suspect’s rear waistband.The semi-automatic was fully loaded.

On the ground, Mason continued to fight with both sheriff’s officers before being subdued and handcuffed.A subsequent search of Mason revealed a second handgun, a fully loaded, 9mm Atak revolver in the suspect’s front waistband.

The sheriff’s officers also recovered the plastic bag which the suspect had tossed.It contained ten smaller bags of marijuana.

Mason was charged with two counts each of possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and the unlawful possession of a weapon.Charges of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of QuitmanStreetSchool, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public housing complex, obstruction of justice and resisting arrest were also filed against him.Mason was also issued nine motor vehicle summonses.